Built to Lead - The Health Leaders of Tomorrow Podcast

In Part 2, hosts Matthew and Shagun continue their conversation with Dr. Maja Djikic, exploring how leaders can overcome stagnation and accelerate personal transformation.

Building on the Wheel of Self, Maja explains how joy—not happiness—is a key indicator of growth and how self-limiting beliefs, stored in our nervous system, hold us back. She introduces embodied learning, showing why true change requires rewiring deep-seated patterns, not just willpower.

Key takeaways:

Recognizing stagnation and knowing when to step back

How rapid transformation is possible

The role of mindfulness and emotional regulation in leadership growth

Maja challenges traditional leadership models, offering a science-backed approach to breaking through mental barriers and unlocking full potential.

Missed Part 1? Check out our previous episode on the Wheel of Self and self-awareness in leadership.

Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Healt

Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealth

Learn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com

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Hosts Matthew and Shagun welcome Dr. Maja Djikic, a leading expert in leadership development and the psychology of change. As Associate Professor at Rotman School of Management and Director of the Self-Development Lab, Maja helps leaders navigate personal transformation and unlock underdeveloped strengths.

In this episode, Maja introduces the "Wheel of Self", a model that connects motivation, behavior, emotion, mind, and body in personal growth. She challenges the idea that leadership is about reinforcing strengths, arguing that real change happens when we work on our weaknesses.

She also explores stagnation vs. growth, the role of self-reflection, and how leaders can realign with their purpose when progress feels stalled.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Maja dives deeper into rapid transformation and breaking mental barriers.

Connect with us on LinkedIn: Vernissage Health

Follow us on Instagram: @VernissageHealth

Learn more about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: www.vernissagehealth.com

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Built to Lead Season 5: Standing Up, Sitting Out

Welcome to Season 5 of Built to Lead! In this introductory episode, co-hosts Mobeen and Matthew discusses and challenges the traditional view of leadership as a straight climb up the ladder. Instead, they introduce this season’s theme - "Standing Up or Sitting Out" - a new leadership paradigm that embraces adaptability, self-awareness, and strategic decision-making.

Through insightful conversations with healthcare leaders, this season explores the fluid nature of leadership: when to step up, take action, and advocate for change, and when to step back, reflect, and support from the sidelines. Leadership isn’t just about always leading from the front. Sometimes, the most impactful moves come from knowing when to let others take the lead.

Join us as we uncover the real-life stories and expert insights that redefine what it means to lead in today’s ever-evolving world. Whether you're navigating a leadership transition, embracing non-linear career paths, or cultivating adaptability, Season 5 has something for you.

Follow the conversation and connect with us:

LinkedIn: Vernissage Health

Instagram: @VernissageHealth

More info: www.vernissagehealth.com

Tune in and get ready to redefine leadership on your own terms!

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Authenticity Part 2:  

In Part 2 of the episode on authenticity, the panel discusses authentic leadership in practice.  Sahand reflects about his observation of authentic leadership (AL) in his career and what qualities are essential for authentic leaders, especially from the perspective of those just starting their careers.  The importance of developing self-awareness and having authentic leadership mentors is highlighted.  

From a mid-career perspective, Jacklyn shares that self-doubt is part of one’s entire leadership journey, not just in early career stages.  Confidence comes with practice and by having a support system or “circle of influence” in place.   

Later in career, Wendy reports that in her experience, mid to late career leaders can become complacent and perhaps “over confident” and rate themselves as more effective and authentic than others do.  Humility and self-awareness are key in this stage of career to help retain authenticity.   

The panel also explores the influence of authentic leadership, civility norms in the workplace and the possibility of burnout and turnover among early career health professionals who are subjected to co-worker incivility.  Reasons for workplace incivility, the role of health leaders in role modelling civility and authentically challenging incivility is discussed.   

Here are the articles discussed with the authenticity panel: 

Authentic leadership in healthcare organizations: A study of 14 chief executive officers and 70 direct reports.  Marcy Saxe-Braithwaite, Sylvia Gautreau. Health Management Forum, December 2019 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0840470419890634?journalCode=hmfa    

Title: The Effect of Authentic Leadership, Person-Job Fit, and Civility Norms on New Graduate Nurses Experiences of Coworker Incivility and Burnout.  Health K. Spence-Laschinger and Emily A. Read.  Journal of Nursing Administration.  Vol 16 No 11.  Nov. 2016 

https://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/abstract/2016/11000/the_effect_of_authentic_leadership,_person_job.7.aspx   

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For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com  

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Authenticity Part 1.   

In our final episode of Season 4, Mobeen and Matthew welcome a cross- generational leadership panel to explore the concept of authenticity in leadership.  The panel includes an emerging leader, a mid-career leader and an “expert” leader who share their experiences about what makes an authentic leader and good rebel.   

Sahand Ensafi is the emerging leader guest.  Sahand is an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant with 10 years of experience working at the University Health Network (UHN) and a recent graduate from the MHSc Health Administration program at the University of Toronto.   

Jacklyn Pearce is the mid-career leader on the panel.  Jacklyn is Executive Director of the Office of Health System Transformation at London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario.  Jacklyn is a registered Occupational Therapist. She completed a Masters in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety through IHPME at the University of Toronto.  

Wendy Nelson is the “expert” health leader guest.  Wendy is an experienced health executive, currently serving as Senior Fellow within IHPME and is founder of Vernissage Health. Wendy has served as a senior executive in a broad range of settings in the private and public sectors.  She possesses a Masters in Health Administration from University of Toronto and a Masters in International Health Leadership from McGill University.   

In Part 1 of the conversation, each panel member shares what they believe are the qualities of a “good rebel”.  Turning to the element of authenticity, each shares their definition of authentic leadership and approaches to how they remain “authentic” as leaders in health care.   

Authenticity often is expressed through storytelling by leaders. Stories of “failure” often resonate and have more impact that traditional “hero” or “success” stories.  Wendy speaks to the powerful storytelling focus of Vernissage Health Leaders Dialogue Series where leaders are invited to share stories of struggle and setbacks to develop the next generation of health leaders in Canada.   

Sahand and Jacklyn concur that these stories “humanize” more experienced leaders, build mentoring relationship and demonstrate that perfection is not the goal.  All health leaders can learn and grow from missteps. 

The episode ends with a question about why more research and focus has not been given to “authentic leadership”.  Jacklyn speculates that we are in a transition from old to new ways of leadership – a transition from old power to new power.  On this journey, we both need to learn how to be authentic leaders and unlearn some aspects of traditional hierarchical leadership.     

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/   

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com   

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Novelty Part 2:  

In part two, Mathew and I will continue our discussion with Connie by exploring two articles on tools to analyze and manage novel thinking and innovations in health services. Join us in Part 2 as Connie shares some of the tools she uses as a health leader.  

The first article is based on an approach of analyzing novelty of service innovation in a healthcare setting. The authors frame healthcare innovation as a product of four domains: organizational newness, environmental newness, market newness and technological newness.  

The article suggests these four dimensions work together and can enhance or inhibit the opportunity for innovation. For instance, virtual care was technically feasible long before COVID-19, but it wasn’t until the necessity from environmental newness that it really came to be more feasible. Therefore, it is important that we consider how these four dimensions are working together to create the groundwork for innovation and novel thinking to occur.  

The second article discusses the relationship between novelty and constraints. Constraints are often seen as restrictions getting in the way of novel ideas, but in fact the empirical evidence shows that constraints can motivate and focus novelty. No constraints can lead to chaos, adverse outcomes and other unintended consequences. 

Connie brings the two articles together and discusses how public policy and regulations, as a framework for constraint, can support how innovation and novel forms of service delivery evolve and are adopted.  Other examples are discussed including virtual care and digital health solutions.   

Here are the articles discussed with Connie Clerici: 

Novelty and success of healthcare service innovation: A comparison between China and the Netherlands.  Authored Yu Mu, Rujun Wang, and Ying Huang.  University of South Florida M3 Publishing, 2021 

https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1154&context=m3publishing   

Why Constraints Are Good for Innovation. Oguz A. Acar, Mural Tarakci and   

Daan van Knippenberg.  Harvard Business Review.  November 22, 2019. 

https://hbr.org/2019/11/why-constraints-are-good-for-innovation   

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/ 

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com  

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Novelty Part 1.   

Mobeen and Matthew welcome guest, Connie Clerici to Built to Lead to examine the element of novelty as a trait of “good rebels”. Connie is a system innovator who embodies the principle of novelty in all of her work. Connie founded Closing the Gap Healthcare as a disruptive force in the home care landscape in Canada. With a background in nursing, Closing the Gap, led by Connie, has embraced the cutting edge of how home services are provided, expanding into community clinic work, virtual care, and social support.  

Connie is currently Board Chair at Closing the Gap.  She actively gives back to shaping the next generation of leaders in her work on the Advisory Board of the Ivey School of Business at Western University and as a Senior Fellow in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.  

Her pragmatic approach to how we deliver home care in Canada earned her the Queen Elizabeth Second Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012. This is in addition to dozens of other accolades including Canada’s Most Powerful Women, RBC Entrepreneur of the year, and a top 25 women of influence.   

In part 1 of this conversation, Connie relays her leadership story, beginning as a health care aid and critical care nurse in hospital.  Novelty and change were not welcome leadership characteristics in hospitals, sending Connie on a journey into community nursing where she focused on serving the needs of vulnerable children with special needs.  Again, dissatisfied with the “status quo”, she eventually created Closing the Gap - a novel way of serving clients and families, based on a culture of quality, autonomy and respect.   

She discusses the evolution of Closing the Gap diversifying services from children to seniors.  Connie discussed her definition of “thought leadership” – her focus on values and how values form the tenets of the organization including evidence-based services, continuous learning, and innovation.   

She encourages leaders to focus on novelty – embracing new opportunities that are outside of one’s comfort zone, seeking mentors and engaging with people who hold diverse and different perspectives from your own.  She ends with advice for new and early career leaders based on her experience in health leadership.  

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/ 

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com   

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Curiosity Part 2:  

A lively discussion about curiosity with William Jones continues in Part 2.  How does the element of curiosity support innovation and facilitate health system change and transformation?  

William notes how difficult change is and points out the limitations of using change models. Instead, William emphasizes the need to focus on people - thoroughly understanding people and their current work processes then building trust and strong relationships to facilitate change.  

He also discusses the need for health leaders to demonstrate vulnerability in leading change. This means being willing to admit they don’t have all the answers, to explore ideas and follow others to co-create “small wins” as the initial steps to larger scale change.   

The second article discussed sheds light on the “the curiosity perception gap” and the challenges organizations face in terms of how curiosity is viewed differently by C-suite executives and other staff.  William suggests this might represent the tension in organizations between the need for “execution” and “exploration”.  An organization needs to set expectations and be clear about the specific “time and place” for curiosity.  Where does curiosity fit in current workflows and business cycles?  William shares some approaches for encouraging curiosity used in Leynek Medical.  Last, the topic of “information control” in organizations is cited as a possible factor inhibiting the expression of curiosity.     

Here are the articles discussed with William Jones: 

Create and Sustain a Culture of Curiosity in Healthcare: A Case Study of a Home Healthcare Organization in Toronto.  Sandra McKay, Emily Kind and Kathryn Nichol.  Healthcare Quarterly.  October 2022.   

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36412530/   

Research: 83% of Executives Say They Encourage Curiosity. Just 52% of Employees Agree.  Spencer Harrison, Erin Pinkis and Ion Cohen.  Harvard Business Review.  Sept 20, 2018.   

https://hbr.org/2018/09/research-83-of-executives-say-they-encourage-curiosity-just-52-of-employees-agree   

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/   

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com  

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Curiosity Part 1.   

Mobeen and Matthew welcome an exceptional guest in this episode, William Jones.  William is the founder of an angel-funded pre-seed start-up, Leynek Medical, headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. Leynek Medical is focused on the design and commercialization of hardware and software aimed at improving the delivery of primary care to cancer patients and revolutionizing oncology in the community and primary care setting.   

In part 1 of this conversation, William discusses the importance of rebel “curiosity” to drive health innovation and challenge the norms of how health services are organized and delivered.  From William’s perspective, a good rebel channels curiosity appropriately.  Based on his experience, curiosity is best received in the right “time and place” depending on the stage of product development and the business cycle or needs of the organization.   

William’s curiosity drove his ten-year quest to eventually create Leynek Medical.  He discusses the leadership skill of listening to stakeholders and carefully observing today’s health processes.  Understanding the present environment helped William and his team generate breakthroughs and fresh new perspectives on how to deliver health care to oncology patients.   

Often, being curious starts early in life.  William recalls that curiosity and his thirst for learning originated in childhood and continues today as he promotes curiosity with his children, within his company and the broader health system. 

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/   

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com   

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Rebels with a Cause:  Exploring the Element of Perspective Part 2:  

Mobeen and Matthew continue their conversation with Dr. de Villa and discuss the three key skills in perspective management. Firstly, "perspective-taking" is the ability to adopt the standpoint of others, aiding in understanding their desires and concerns. The second skill, "perspective-seeking," involves actively reaching out to grasp different viewpoints without judgment, promoting authentic curiosity and learning. Lastly, "perspective-coordinating" entails leveraging the collected perspectives to gain insights, understand impacts on individuals, and make well-informed decisions.   

Their engaging conversation draws out the importance of comprehending others' viewpoints and using them to make effective leadership decisions, particularly during uncertain, crisis situations.   

Here is the article discussed with Dr. de Villa: 

Why Understanding Other Perspectives is a Key Leadership Skill by Stephan Surdek.  Forbes Magazine.  Nov 17, 2016 

Available at: Why Understanding other perspectives is a key leadership skill 

Dr. Eileen de Villa is the Medical Officer of Health for the City of Toronto. In this position, she leads Toronto Public Health, the largest local public health agency in Canada, which offers various programs and services to the city’s more than 3 million residents.  

In the fight against COVID-19, Dr. de Villa guided Toronto’s largest vaccination campaign. Her unwavering commitment to equipping the public with knowledge and her pivotal role in pandemic response has been recognized globally.  

Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vernissage-health/ 

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vernissagehealth/ 

For more information about the BTL Podcast and Vernissage Health: 

www.vernissagehealth.com  

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